Correspondence from MillerDunwiddie

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or more stories will be required to have elevator lobbies or other smoke-and draft-control protection,even if fire-rated corridors are not required. We do not think that the State ever intended to be so much more restrictive than IBC Section 707.14 and their proposal for changing 707.7 demonstrates,we believe,that we are correct. The following points may be appropriate for consideration: 1. As you are aware,the Country Club is basically a 2-story building with a basement(called ground floor) and a small sub-basement. 2. Elevator B is the only elevator with more than 25 feet of travel. As a result,this elevator will be vented and have draft curtains with smoke detectors. Interestingly,the draft curtain requirement is expected to also be eliminated in the next code adoption. 3. The two elevators are very remote from each other and only have 2 levels in common. Thus there will be very little"stack effect"within the building. 4. Elevator A connects the following: (a)The basement or ground floor area separated by a hallway ramp system from any major use areas. This passage to the elevator and elevation rise would tend to pocket smoke and keep it away from the lower lobby. Smoke gaskets could be added to the 3 doors(normally locked)adjacent to the elevator to further insure that smoke will not likely reach the elevator (b)The west lobby area of the 1st floor. This area is enclosed(though not fire-rated), similar to a lobby and would limit the passage of smoke to other areas of this level. (c) 2nd floor: A very small office area on the 2nd floor which is remote from the exit and the boardroom. The door that separates the elevator from the exitway and the boardroom could be gasketed and have a closer provided if one does not exist. 5. Elevator B (with the draft curtain and smoke detection)connects the following: (a)The small receiving area in the sub-basement. This area is only about 2600 square feet and includes fire-rated enclosures for the Trash Room,Elevator Equipment Room and the Electrical Room. There are also several low hazard freezers. (b)The employee breakroom,on ground floor,which is basically like a large lobby with no direct connection to more populated areas. Smoke gaskets could be added to the doors to the Seasonal Storage,the Laundry and to Door 041 C which connects to the remainder of the floor level. Smoke gaskets could be added to the employee restrooms but everything,except clothes in metal lockers, is pretty much non-combustible in these rooms. (c) The most remote portion of the kitchen. The entry doors to the Ballroom or Casual Dining are over 60 feet away from this elevator. Smoke gaskets could be added to the adjacent Dry Storage Room 120 and Storage Room 121,but it would not seem to be necessary since this is the highest level of this elevator. The kitchen has 6 possible exits for quick escape. Further,all the kitchen surfaces are cleanable should smoke somehow make its way up the elevator from below. CONCLUSION: We believe that special smoke-control and draft-control devices are unnecessary in such a low-rise,sprinklered building. We propose to upgrade the smoke-and draft-control of adjacent enclosures similar to elevator lobbies, in lieu of the apparent,soon-to-be-deleted,code requirement. To provide these expensive devices on the elevators in the Wayzata Country Club seems,to us,to be a real disservice to our client. To have to maintain them or to possibly be able to remove them in less than a year seems to be a totally unnecessary condition. If you agree with this assessment,we would greatly appreciate it if you would concur and pass this on to the Orono Building Official. We think this qualifies as a common sense type of equivalency. Thanks much for your consideration.